The invention generally relates to a data verification system and technique.
Entries in a database may be created by the execution of one program, and after their creation, the entries may be transferred to another database for analysis or further processing by the execution of another program. For example, entries in sales order entry database may be generated by the execution of a sales order entry program. Subsequently, these entries may be transferred to a database that is used by an accounting program to perform bookkeeping functions with these entries.
In this manner, a salesperson may enter information relating to the sale of a particular item into a computer system that executes the sales order entry system, thereby creating data, or entries, in a sales order entry database. As an example, these entries are related to various line items that are associated with the sale. These line items may include the part numbers of items sold, the sales prices of the items, freight costs, taxes, etc.
For bookkeeping purposes, the entries in the sales order entry database may then be transferred into an accounting database that is associated with an accounting program. In this manner, the accounting program may be executed to import the entries from the sales order entry database into the accounting database.
Unfortunately, some of the entries in the accounting database may be invalid. The invalid data may be introduced by execution errors in the routine(s) that transfer the entries, operator error, and/or differences between the manners in which the two programs process the entries.
Thus, due to the possibility that some of the entries in the accounting database may be invalid, measures may be taken to validate these entries. One technique involves currently executing both the accounting and sales order entry programs in different windows (in a Windows(copyright) operating system, for example) and visually comparing the corresponding entries of the databases. However, this technique may be very time consuming. Alternatively, another program may be concurrently executed with the accounting and sales order entry programs for purposes of comparing the entries to determine what corrections need to be made. However, this technique requires the concurrent execution of three programs, thereby increasing the likelihood of crashing the computer system that is executing the three programs.
Thus, there is a continuing need for an arrangement that addresses one or more of the problems that are stated above.
In an embodiment of the invention, a technique includes querying a first database associated with a sales order entry program for first entries that are associated with a transaction. A second database associated with an accounting program is queried for second entries that are associated with the transaction. In response to the querying the first and second databases, a file is generated that indicates a comparison between the first and second entries.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description drawing and claims.